Lifting jack and support therefor



April 30, 1957 J. F. PALKA LIFTING JACK AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed Nov. 10, 1953 INVENTOR. g/z F United States LIFTHJG JACK AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Joseph F. Palka, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 10, 1953, Serial No. 391,284

(Jlaims. (Cl. 254-99) The object of the present invention is the provision of an improved support for lifting jacks of the type for raising or lowering weights such as automobile vehicles or the like.

The present invention relates particularly to the lifting jacks of the type having a head with a strut leg rigidly connecting therewith, within which leg a threaded post is positioned for rotary movement, said post carrying a load engaging member capable of shifting in an upright direction when a rotary movement is imparted to said post, with mechanism for actuating said post located within said head. Another leg is provided in a pivotal association with said head, which said latter leg is capable of angular swinging motions to or away from said strut leg. Said strut leg normally remains in a vertical position constitutes the main supporting means for the load which is either lifted or lowered by the jack.

Therefore, one of the important objects of the present invention is the provision of means whereby the load carried by said strut leg may be distributed also to that second supporting leg.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a brace member supported by one of its ends upon the ground and by said second supporting leg by its other end, with the strut leg engaging said brace intermediately of sion of suitable means whereby said brace may be shifted into a vertical position with said supporting leg brought into parallelism with said strut leg in order to bring about a compact package of the parts of the jack when the latter is in a folded inoperative position.

With the above general objects in view and others that will appear as the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the present jack when in its operative association with an automobile vehicle, with the load engaging member of the jack in an engagement with the vehicle bumper;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the jack when in the position substantially 90 degrees from that shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is the side elevational view of the lower part of the jack, including the strut leg, the supporting leg and the brace when in a mutually folded position for the purpose of presenting a compact bundle or package when the jack is not in use.

The present jack includes a head which embodies a pair of plates which are arranged substantially in a parallel mutual relation. Enclosed within said, plates 10 is a frame 2,790,621 Patented Apr. 30, 195.7

ICE

member in a transverse relation with said plates 10, and which includes base 12,'lip 13, vertical wall 14 and an inclined stud shaft supporting wall 15. Between the free upper end of said lip 13 and the free front end of said inclined wall 15 there is a space affording access inwardly of said head.

Welded or otherwise aflixed to base 12 by its upper end is strut leg 16, which is recessed at its front edge.

Seated upon base 12 is thrust ball bearing 17. Passed through said base 12 and said thrust bearing 17 is the smooth upper end of post 18. The portion of said post 18 located below said base 12 is threaded and is disposed within said strut leg 16 and extends substantially throughout the length of the latter. The upper smooth end of said post 1.3 is extended through sleeve 19 which is rigidly affixed to said post 18 by means of bolt 20. The lower end of said sleeve 19 rests upon and bears against the upper race of said thrust ball bearing 17. The upper end of the smooth portion of said post 18 above said sleeve 19 is forked as at 21.

Passed through said supporting wall 15 is stud shaft 22, the inner end of which is forked as at 23. The respective forks 21 and 23 of post 18 and stud shaft 22 engage a universal joint swivel block (not shown) for the purpose of providing a flexible joint therebetween so'that a rotary motion imparted to said stud shaft 22 may be transmitted to said post 18.

By means of handle 24 which engages stud shaft .22 a rotary movement may be imparted to the latter, which movement through the means of the flexible or universal joint herein above described is transmitted to post 18 for the purpose of rotating the latter in either direction.

The load engaging member 25 is supported by block 26, the latter being positioned within strut leg 16 and in engagement with the threads of post 18. When a rotary movement to said post 18 is imparted in either direction said block 26 and the load engaging member 25 are induced to shift in a vertical direction, upwardly or downwardly depending upon the direction of rotation imparted to said post 18, for the purpose of elevating or lowering vehicle 7 when said load engaging member 25'is in engagement with bumper 28, as shown in Fig. l.

The rear portions of plates 10 past said vertical wall 14 of the frame member receive therebetween the upper end of a brace leg or supporting leg 29 wherein the same is pivoted upon pin 36 for angular swinging movement, either toward or away from said strut leg 16.

The opposite end of said supporting leg 29 is provided with a foot adapted to be rested upon the ground for the purpose of providing stability to the jack when in operation. Said foot includes an oblong base 31 and an upwardly projecting flange 32 extending from the rear edge of said base 31 and in contact with said supporting leg 29 at a rear point thereof. Forwardly said base 31 is provided with an upturned lip 33 which contacts said supporting leg 22 forwardly thereof. Substantially triangular plate 34 by its widest bottom edge is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to said flange 32. Said plate 34 extends upwardly along the rear portion of said supporting leg 2% and at its upper end is provided with a horizontal edge 35 which remains in a parallel relation with the bottom edge of said plate 34 and with said base 31.

Bolt 36 passed through said flange 32, lip 33 and the lower end of supporting leg 29, with the aid of nut 37, clamps and rigidly afiixes the said foot to said supporting leg 29.

Cooperating with strut leg 16 and supporting leg 29 is brace 38 which is made in a form of an inverted trough, substantially U-shaped on transverse cross section. At one end the top portion of said brace 38 is provided with recess 39 defining a pair of arms 4t between whichsaid supporting leg 29 is disposed. The free ends of said arms 40 are connected by an arcuate plate forming a hook-like downwardly extending appendage 41, which is disposed substantiallyin a perpendicular relation with said arms 40 and the remaining body portion ofsaid brace 38. In the operative position of brace 38 the lower edges of brace 38, or more specifically the lower edges of said arms 40, rest upon the upper horizontal edge 35 of plate 34 with the appendage 41 engaging and contacting with the rear face of plate 34, by virtue of which arrangement said appendage 41 limits further swinging movement of said supporting leg 29 away from strut leg 16 and defines a stop beyond which said supporting leg 29 cannot angularly swing away from said strut leg 16 when the jack remains in an operative position.

The opposite end of said brace 38 is provided with foot 42 from which a looped U-shaped bracket member 43 upwardly projects. Said bracket 43 reposes within the channel of said brace 38 and is affixed to the latter by means of bolt 44 upon which it is adapted for pivotal swinging motions in order to condition said foot 42 for a square contactual engagement with the ground when the jirck remains in an operative position, as is seen in Fig.

Carried by the lower end of strut leg 16 is a pair of L-shaped bracket plates 45, which by their vertical por- 'tions are riveted as at 46 or otherwise rigidly affixed to the sides of said strut leg 16. The horizontal portions of said bracket plates 45 remain in contact with the sides of said brace 38 and are there pivoted to said brace 38 by means of pin 47 which is passed through said plates 45 and said brace 38.

It is observed that strut leg 16 is preferably in a contactual relation by its lower end with the upper portion of brace 38 when the jack remains in an open operative position illustrated in Fig. 1, so that the Weight thnist upon strut leg 16 is transferred to said brace 38. It is also noted that in the open operative position of the jack the lower end of strut leg 16 contacts and bears against brace 38 substantially at the central portion of the latter thereby substantially equally distributing the load to both ends of said brace 38.

It is also observed that in the open operative position of the jack strut leg 16 remains in a substantially vertical position. Due to this arrangement the tendency of the jack to tilt forwardly, that is toward the lifted vehicle, will be eliminated. The end of said brace 33 which carries foot 42 being placed forwardly to a considerable distance from the plane upon which strut leg 16 is located assures steady position of the jack during lifting or lower operation thereof and prevents the tilting of the jack toward the vehicle or other lifted object.

From the described construction of the jack it will be clear that the parts thereof are capable of assuming mutually folded position for bringing the parts into a compact bundle facilitating packing or storing of the jack. To fold the principal supporting parts of the jack, first brace 38 is angularly shifted upon pivot pin 47 until the former assumes a vertical position in parallelism and contactual relation with strut leg 16, as is shown in Fig. 3.

Prior to the assumption by brace 38 of that ultimate folded position described in the last preceding paragraph arms 40 are first disengaged from their contact with edge 35 of plate 34 with said appendage 41 shifting in an upward direction along the rear edge of said supporting leg 29 until said appendage 41 comes to its ultimate position illustrated in Fig. 3, that is to a transverse, encompassing and contactual relation with the rear portion of said supporting leg.

The details of construction and operation of load engaging member 25, block 26, handle 24 and the joint within the head of the jack, including said plates are described and explained in the co-pending application filed simultaneously herewith.

It is further observed that in the operative position of the jack shown in Fig. l brace 38 locks supporting leg 29 with relation to strut leg 16. Appendage 41 prevents supporting leg 29 from shifting away from strut leg 16, and the end body portion of brace 38 resulting from said recess 39 prevents said supporting leg 29 from shifting toward said strut leg 16.

It is also noted that in the operative position of the jack support brace 38 is substantially in a perpendicular relation with supporting leg 29. Said supporting leg 29 is longer than said strut leg 16 substantially by the portion of said supporting leg 29 between arms and the free lower termination of said supporting leg 29. By virtue of this arrangement, and also in view of the fact that strut leg 16 contacts and bears against said brace 38 at a point median of the ends of said brace 38, said strut leg 16 remains in a vertical position, yet preventing tilting of the jack towards the vehicle being lifted. By virtue of the arrangement described the load thrust upon strut leg 16 is distributed substantially equally to the ground through the free end of said brace 38 and to supporting leg 29 through the opposite end of said brace 38 While there is described herein preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. 7

What I claim as new is:

1. A lifting jack comprising a head, a strut leg afiixed by one of its ends to said head, a load engaging member supported upon said strut leg for a lengthwise shifting movement, means for inducing shifting movement of said load engaging member, a supporting leg pivoted by one of its ends to said head, said supporting leg being capable of angular shifting movement to or away from said strut leg, a brace, said brace including a bifurcated end defining a pair of arms within which said supporting leg is accommodated, a stop carried by said supporting leg in a spaced relation with the free end thereof, normally said stop being adapted to support said arms in a spaced relation with the adjacent free end of said supporting leg, in the operative position of the jack the free end of said supporting leg and the opposite free end of said brace being adapted to rest upon the ground, a transverse connecting member connecting the free ends of said arms, said connecting member being adapted to engage said stop for preventing the shifting movement of 'said supporting leg away from said strut leg, in the operative position of the jack the free end of said strut leg being supported by said brace at a point intermediateiy of the ends thereof, and a pivot connection between the free end of said strut leg and said brace, said brace being adapted to angularly shift upon said pivot connection and to assume contacting parallel position with said strut leg and with said supporting leg in a contactual substantially parallel relation with said brace in the folded inoperative condition of the jack.

2. In a lifting jack including a head, a support comprising a strut leg, said strut leg supporting a load engaging member for shifting movement lengthwise of said strut leg, said strut leg being rigidly affixed by one of its ends to said head, a supporting leg, said supporting leg being pivotally atfixed by one of its ends to said head, said supporting leg being adapted for angular swinging motions upon its pivot to or away from said strut leg, said supporting leg being longer than said strut leg, a brace, in the operative position of the jack said brace being disengageably connected by one of its ends with said supporting leg in a spaced relation with the free end of the latter for the purpose of locking said supporting leg in its outwardly shifted position with relation to said strut leg, the opposite end of said brace and the opposite free end of said supporting leg being adapted to rest upon the ground, the opposite end of said strut leg resting upon said brace at a point intermediate of its ends, and a pivot connection between the said opposite end of said strut leg and said brace, on disconnecting said brace from its engagement with said supporting leg said brace being'ad'apted to swing upon said pivot connection into a contactual and substantially parallel relation with said strut leg, with said supporting leg being adapted to angularly swing upon its pivot towards said brace in a contactual relation with the latter.

3. A lifting jack comprising a head, :a strut leg supporting the head at one end thereof, a load engaging member mounted on the strut leg, means for shifting said load engaging member lengthwise of the strut leg, a brace leg connected at one end with the head and space-d from the strut leg, a support brace having means at one end thereof for supporting said end on a supporting sur face and having a pair of spaced arms at the opposite end thereof embracing said brace leg, said spaced arms extending lengthwise of said support brace a distance at least as great as the thickness of said brace leg and then downwardly at approximately right angles a distance at least as great as the thickness of said brace leg, a transverse connecting member connecting the free ends of said spaced arms, means intermediate the length of said support brace for supporting the strut leg thereon, and a plate connected with the brace leg and extending upwardly beside said brace leg to a level substantially above the supporting surface and substantially below said head, said plate having an abutment at the upper end thereof underlying thetsaid :arms on the support brace for supporting the latter thereon.

4. A lifting jack comprising a head, a strut leg supporting the head at one end thereof, a load engaging member mounted on the strut leg, means for shifting said load engaging member lengthwise of the strut leg, a brace leg connected at one end with the head and spaced from the strut leg, a support brace having means at one end thereof for supporting said end on a supporting surface, means intermediate the length of said support brace for supporting the strut leg thereon, a foot connected with the brace leg, :21 plate carried by the foot and extending upwardly beside the brace leg at distance substantially less than the length of said brace leg, said plate having the upper edge thereof underlying the other end of the support brace for supporting the latter thereon.

5. A lifting jack comprising a head, a strut leg supporting the head at one end thereof, a load engaging member mounted on the strut leg, means for shifting said load engaging member lengthwise of the strut leg, a brace leg connected at one end with the head and having means on its other end for supporting it on a support surface, said strut leg and said brace leg being mouable relative to each other between a folded position in which they are substantially parallel to each other and an operative position in which they are in downwardly diverging relationship, a support brace having means at one end thereof for supporting said end on a supporting surface and means at the other end thereof for connecting said support brace to said brace leg for shifting movement along said brace leg, means intermediate the length of said support brace for pivotally supporting the strut leg thereon so that said support brace may be moved between a folded position in which it is parallel to :and between said strut leg and said brace leg and an operative position in which it is at an angle to both said strut leg and said brace leg, and a stop connected with the brace leg for supporting said other end of said support brace at a level substantially above the supporting surface and substantially below said head when said support brace is in the operative position thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,419,616 Coughlin June 13, 1922 2,502,037 Erikainen Mar. 28, 1950 2,600,276 Smith June 10, 1952 2,605,998 Beck Aug. 5, 1952 2,637,523 Lucker May 5, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 191,294 Switzerland Oct. 1, 1937 

